Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a liquid ejecting apparatus that is equipped with the function of recovering mist generated together with ejected liquid droplets, and a liquid ejecting head.
Description of the Related Art
In a liquid ejecting apparatus for ejecting liquid through an ejection port formed at a liquid ejecting head, fine liquid droplets called satellite or mist other than liquid droplets (main droplets) are ejected together with the main droplets to be ejected in ejecting the liquid droplets. Such fine liquid droplets (hereinafter also referred to as mist) adhere to various portions inside of the apparatus, such as an ejection port surface (hereinafter also referred to as a face) at which ejection ports of the liquid ejecting head are formed. Particularly, in a case where fine liquid droplets adhere to the face, mist is coalesced into a large liquid droplet that closes the ejection port, thereby degrading the reliability of ejection. Alternatively, in a case where fine liquid droplets adhere to a light receiving surface or a scale of a position sensor for the liquid ejecting head disposed inside of the apparatus, the liquid droplets cannot be ejected to accurate positions.
In view of the above, the specification of U.S. Patent Laid-Open No. 2006/0238561 discloses a method for recovering an airflow including mist by arranging a liquid ejecting head, a blowing port, through which an airflow is blown, and a suction port, through which mist is sucked at a substantially equal interval from a print medium.
However, even in a case where the liquid ejecting head, the blowing port, through which the airflow is blown, and the suction port, through which the mist is sucked, are arranged at a substantially equal interval from the print medium, as disclosed in the specification of U.S. Patent Laid-Open No. 2006/0238561, the mist that is diffused cannot be sufficiently recovered through the suction port. As a consequence, the mist adheres to the liquid ejecting head, so as to close the ejection port, thereby degrading the reliability of ejection.